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Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by a virus. It is usually chronic (long-lasting), but most people do not have any symptoms until the virus causes liver damage, which can take 10 or more years to happen. Without medical treatment, chronic hepatitis C can eventually cause liver cancer or liver failure. An estimated 2.7 to 3.9 million people in the United States have chronic hepatitis C.

Some people with hepatitis C try complementary health approaches, especially dietary supplements. Several herbal supplements have been studied for hepatitis C; however, no dietary supplement has yet been shown to be effective for hepatitis C or its complications.